Energy in the microwave portion of the electromagnetic spectrum is often utilized in communication systems for transmitting data from one location to another. While powerful amplifying devices such as traveling wave tubes have been utilized in the past for providing sufficient intensity for transmitting the microwave radiation, the advent of solid state amplifying devices, operable at microwave frequencies, provides an alternative form of amplifying element which is less costly, operates on lower voltages negating the need for high-voltage power supplies, and provides relatively noise-free amplification over an adequately wide bandwidth for use in the communication system.
A problem arises in that the power of present day solid state devices is much lower than that of the aforementioned traveling wave tube and other such amplifying devices, the lower power precluding the use of a single solid state amplifying device in a practical communication system. Amplifiers which combine several solid state amplifying devices in a single circuit to share the power have had physical structures and circuit configurations which limit the bandwidth from that which the solid state devices can supply, and which limit the power dissipation so that over heating may occur if the amplifying devices are utilized at their maximum power levels.